Colored pencil and gouache on paper, 8"x11" with 13"x16" frame
The inspiration for my pool girl series initially branched from another project exploring what made a space feel like home, such as sentimental objects, decor, gardens, pets or people, during a season of major personal transitions. During this series, I noticed a kind of tension within the coziest of spaces, between this almost difficult to embrace, healing feeling of rest and belonging, and too much of that feeling producing a kind of unhealthiness. The pool girl self portraits were what really embodied this experience for me, depicting the lazy happy pool days that can make for horrible sunburns and tan lines.